Jennifer Salerno

Attorney Salerno focuses her practice on all areas of family law, including high-conflict divorce and highly contentious child custody matters. Attorney Salerno has successfully litigated child removal requests and international child abduction cases in the Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts and U.S. District Court in Boston. Attorney Salerno regularly works with Investigators and Social Workers for the Department of Children and Families, Category E and F Guardian Ad Litems, and mental health and substance abuse counselors in family law matters.

Attorney Salerno also has extensive Trial experience, and she has developed a reputation as a strong family law litigator. No case is too “big” or too difficult for Attorney Salerno.

Prior to joining Byrd Campbell, Attorney Salerno was a partner at another Boston based firm. She was previously associated with a prominent Metrowest firm specializing in family law appeals.

Results

• Involved in a landmark case that clarified the governing rules of removal of children of divorced parents from the Commonwealth where one parent seeks to relocate without the consent of the other parent. This case established how to determine the applicable standard of removal where there is no custody order.
• Involved in an action regarding the durational limits for general term alimony obligations under the Alimony Reform Act, and the applicability of those limited to alimony awards predating the Act. This case also clarified the phase-in period for filing complaints for modification of alimony awards predating the Act.
• Represented a father in a Massachusetts divorce matter that resulted in a filing in Italy pursuant to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Mother absconded to Italy with the child after our client was granted sole legal and sole physical custody of the child in the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court. After two years of litigation in Italy, as well as in Suffolk County Probate and Family Court, the child was returned to our client in Massachusetts.
• Represented a father in a Canadian custody matter, stemming from a filing in the U.S. District Court in Boston pursuant to the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The mother absconded to Massachusetts with the child despite the custody order in Canada permitting our client custodial rights. After a three-day trial, including expert witnesses, the U.S. District Court ordered the child be returned to Canada pursuant to the Canadian court order.

Publications / Recognition / Speaking Engagements

• Guest Speaker: Divorce Basics Training: Child Custody section, May 2024
• Guest Speaker: Ask the Expert, on Jane Does Well Podcast, March 2024
• Mock Trial Judge for a Massachusetts Bar Association Competition, January 2024
• Panelist: Separation Agreements, Settlements, and the Pathways to Getting the Job Done, panelist for Social Law Library webinar
• Guest Speaker: Divorce Basics at Norfolk County Probate and Family Court, June 2019
• Guest Speaker on “It’s a Mistake” Divorce Podcast/Radio Show, 2019
• Associate Assistant to Author, Matthew P. Barach, Esq., in drafting and editing “The Family Law Guide to Appellate Practice,” 2019
• Nationally Ranked Top 10 under 40, 2021
• Super Lawyers: Rising Star –2018-2024
• Top Women Attorneys in Massachusetts, April 2019
• Guest Faculty Speaker: Cordell College: Child custody, child support, parental alienation, and alimony, 2016
• Massachusetts Bar Association Leadership Academy Fellow, 2019-2020
• Completed the Guardian Ad Litem mandatory training with pending application